How to pronounce scale
Say it like SKAYL. Scale is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce scale. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SKAYL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Scale pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SKAYLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of scale
American and British speakers say scale in essentially the same way: /skeɪl/ in the US and /skeɪl/ in the UK.
British respelling: SKAYL.
What does scale mean?
- an ordered reference standard“judging on a scale of 1 to 10”
- relative magnitude“they entertained on a grand scale”
- the ratio between the size of something and a representation of it“the scale of the map”“the scale of the model”
- measure by or as if by a scale“This bike scales only 25 pounds”
- pattern, make, regulate, set, measure, or estimate according to some rate or standard
- take by attacking with scaling ladders“The troops scaled the walls of the fort”
Where does scale come from?
From Middle English scale, from Latin scāla, usually in plural scālae (“a flight of steps, stairs, staircase, ladder”), for *skand-slā, from scandō (“to climb”); see scan, ascend, descend, etc.
Words that rhyme with scale
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of scale.
Questions about saying scale
How do you pronounce scale?
Say SKAYL. The American pronunciation is /skeɪl/. In British English it is /skeɪl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in scale?
Scale is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SKAYL.
Do Americans and Brits say scale the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /skeɪl/ and the British form is /skeɪl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.